1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge apparatus for mobile communication terminals, and more particularly to a hinge apparatus for mobile communication terminals having a camera lens module and a hinge assembly mounted therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the phrase “portable communication devices” means electronic devices that are portable and enable owners of the devices to communicate through wireless communication. Such portable communication devices include hand held PCs (HHP), CT-2 cellular phones, digital phones, PCS phones, and PDAs. On the basis of their configuration, portable communication devices may be classified into several types of wireless terminals. For example, the wireless terminals may be basically classified into either a bar-type wireless terminal, a flip-type wireless terminal, or a folder-type wireless terminal. The bar-type wireless terminal has a bar-type single housing, the flip-type wireless terminal comprises a bar-type housing and a flip part rotatably attached to the housing by means of a hinge apparatus, and the folder-type wireless terminal comprises a bar-type housing and a folder part rotatably attached to the housing by means of a hinge apparatus.
Such communication terminals have various functions, such as transmitting/receiving e-mails or data, playing Internet games, or transmitting text messages, in addition to their basic function, i.e., audio communication function. Also, service ranges of the communication terminals, such as image communication between users of the communication terminals or a motion picture service, have been increasingly expanded recently as the communication terminals adopt new communication technologies, such as CDMA 1×EVDO. A camera lens has become an indispensable component of the portable wireless terminal as image communication and motion picture service using the portable wireless terminal are expanded.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional mobile communication terminal. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional mobile communication terminal comprises a terminal body 10 and a folder part 20. The terminal body 10 is provided with various key buttons 11 and a microphone 12. The folder part 20 is provided with a liquid crystal display unit 21 and a speaker 22. The folder part 20 is rotatably connected to the terminal body 10 by means of a hinge apparatus 30.
The hinge apparatus 30 includes first and second side hinge arms 31 and 32 integrally formed on the terminal body 10 while being spaced apart from each other, and a center hinge arm 33 integrally formed on the folder part 20 while being disposed between the first and second side hinge arms 31 and 32. To the first side hinge arm 31 is attached a camera lens module 40.
The camera lens module 40 includes a lens housing 41 for accommodating a camera lens 41a, and a lens shaft (not shown) securely fixed to the lens housing 41 while extending in the direction where the hinge arms 31, 32 and 33 are arranged such that the lens shaft can be rotated predetermined degrees about a hinge axis A1 of the hinge arms 31, 32 and 33.
In the center hinge arm 33 is mounted a hinge assembly (not shown) for rotating the folder part 20 relative to the terminal body 10. The center hinge arm 33 having the hinge assembly mounted therein is rotatably disposed between the first side hinge arm 31 and the second side hinge arm 32. At one end of the center hinge arm 33 is formed an engaging protrusion (not shown), by which the center hinge arm 33 is rotatably connected to the first side hinge arm 31.
In the conventional folder-type mobile communication terminal as described above, the camera lens module is attached to the first side hinge arm, the hinge assembly is mounted in the center hinge arm. As a result, the assembly of the hinge apparatus is complicated. Also, the hinge apparatus requires an additional mounting space, which increases the size of the hinge apparatus. Consequently, the size of the mobile communication terminal is also increased, and thus the mobile communication terminal is not provided with an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Furthermore, the camera lens module is exposed to the external environment. Consequently, the camera lens module may be easily damaged by external impact.